Meeting Him
by AxelsWife
Summary: When Naminé meets the witty Number VIII, a whole new perspective falls into place.


It started out like any other day for Naminé, she would wake up, get dressed, and head over to the table to sketch.

Larxene was watching her today. Her porcelain face turned into a scowl as she leaned back against the white wall.

"He's late…as usual." She hissed.

Naminé looked up. "Who?"

Larxene glared at her. "Someone else is going to be here today. That way I won't have to stick around all day long. He was supposed to be here-"

Suddenly a dark corridor appeared and out came a man perhaps in his early twenties. He was tall and lanky with flaming red hair. What caught Naminé's attention the most was his eyes. A piercing green like emerald.

"Took you long enough." Larxene snapped.

"Oh? How funny, I thought I set my alarm correctly…" was the man's cocky response.

Larxene rolled her eyes. "Naminé, this is Axel."

_Axel_ Naminé repeated in her head. _What a pretty name._

"Now if you'll both excuse me, I should be heading to the boss. Unlike some people, I don't like being tardy." Larxene shot Axel a look.

"What are you and Marluxia cooking up anyway?" Axel inquired.

"As far as I know, not enough! God, I hope we start getting some real action around here." Larxene leaned her head on Axel's shoulder.

Naminé felt a tinge of anger which seemed strange. _What's going on with me? What's this feeling?_

Axel walked away from Larxene and leaned up against the wall. "Alrighty then. Go on then."

The anger went away when Axel didn't acknowledge Larxene's flirtatious advances. _What on earth is the word for this?_ Naminé thought to herself.

Larxene scoffed and went through the black corridor.

Silence filled the room for the first few minutes until Axel went over to sit on the white sofa. "So you're Naminé, eh?"

Naminé's head snapped up. It wasn't often for the Organization members to intentionally start a conversation.

"Yes." She replied.

"Mmh, Marluxia's told me about you. Called you his_ flower_." He gave a soft chuckle at this. "Ah, he's an odd one…"

"Odd?" Naminé repeated. Marluxia was not odd. Marluxia was egotistical and conniving. At least to her.

"Odd." Axel confirmed, lying on the couch one knee bent up and both hands behind his head.

"And you're…Axel?" Naminé asked.

"The one and only."

Naminé gazed at his flaming hair. Suddenly she remembered.

"The Flurry of Dancing Flames?" She gasped. "Your element is fire!"

Axel looked over at her for a moment then turned away. "Quite the scholar, aren't you?"

Naminé watched as he closed his eyes. Something about this man made her immensely bewitched by him. Once again, she found herself not understanding the emotion.

Was it even an emotion? And if so, how is it possible for her to feel?

She shook her head_. __Stop thinking like that. _

A growl was heard. Axel's emerald eyes opened and he sat up. "Yowch…" His fingers ran over his thin stomach. "Do you ever eat, Naminé?"

She shrugged. "Marluxia will bring us something every now and then."

"Huh." Axel fell back to the sofa. "Fantastic."

Naminé was unsure whether or not to reply. It seemed like a sarcastic remark to himself. She kept quiet.

The bewitchment only grew the more she spoke to him. There was just something about this nobody that made her amazed. His charismatic voice and wit…it was all so…_new_.

Naminé began to draw the most attractive feature of him that she adored the most; his eyes. She grabbed a jade colored crayon and began with the irises.

About an hour passed until Naminé finished her sketch. She examined it closely. _Beautiful…_

"Don't you ever get bored here?"

Naminé was surprised. Never had one of the Organization members actually ask how she felt. It made sense seeing as she wasn't supposed to feel. Where did the emotions come from anyway?

"I suppose…" She replied.

"I would get bored." Axel said, closing his eyes.

Naminé thought for a moment and said, "Although it does get boring I feel that my personal feelings don't matter. Marluxia is going to do as he pleases whether I agree with him or not"

She hated herself as soon as she said it. _Feelings? _What feeling_s? _

She looked to see his reaction but he remained unfazed.

"N-not that you'd understand…" She added quickly.

Axel's eyes opened and he turned his head to look at her straight in the face. He gave her a sly cat-like grin.

"Not that I'd understand?"

Calmly, he raised his position from the couch and went over to Naminé.

"Was that your attempt at a joke, Naminé?" He asked in a serene voice.

"I…"

Suddenly she was thrust against the wall by Axel. His two chakrams appeared in his closed hands. One at each side of her.

"W-what are-" Naminé's body trembled and she shut her eyes in fear.

"You think I don't understand?" Despite his position, he still kept an even tone. "Quite the contrary, my dear. I understand perfectly. Crystal clear. Take it from a guy who's been through enough to know what he's talking about; you don't have to just sit and be Marluxia's puppet._ Make a move_! And if our feelings really do exist, I guess they both wouldn't matter."

He looked at the terrified girl with her quivering body and her shaky knees.

He didn't see a witch like Larxene would have called her.

He didn't see a puppet as Marluxia would have said.

He saw himself.

Slowly he put the chakrams down one at a time. Naminé's eyes opened as she watched him back away.

He sat down on one of Naminé's chair. "I didn't mean to freak you out like that. I guess…I just snapped." He saw the small girl still looking dazed against the wall.

"I'm sorry, Naminé." Axel sighed. "I would never hurt you."

Naminé took a few steps forward to her chair next to Axel. "I take it back."

"Hm?"

"You seem to understand a great deal." Here was maybe another kindred spirit to bring some sort of rapture.

Axell looked up at the ceiling and gave out a low snigger to himself. "More than you know."

Suddenly another dark portal appeared as Marluxia stepped out of it.

"Oh, is my time up already?" Axel asked.

"For now, I suppose." Marluxia gave Naminé a devious smile. "Your hero is nearly here, my flower. Aren't you excited?"

At first she was speechless. She thought carefully of the repercussions for telling the truth. "Yes." She lied, quietly.

"Good." Marluxia turned to Axel. "You may leave now."

Axel reluctantly got up from his seat. "Do I get- have to watch her tomorrow?"

Marluxia gave a confused look. "Well if Larxene doesn't want to then I suppose."

"Alright…" Axel opened another corridor of darkness and went through it.

"I hope you weren't bothered by him. He can be rather aggravating." Marluxia sneered.

_No._ Naminé thought_. __Quite the opposite. _


End file.
